same $100k income, fresh start from Hartford

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San Luis Obispo, CA cityscape

if you left hartford

San Luis Obispo

ca · metro 282k

photo: Juan Montes / pexels

a dispatch from

san luis obispo

CA

35.28°N

120.66°W

San Luis Obispo (SLO to locals) sits halfway between LA and San Francisco on the central coast, with Cal Poly students, gorgeous wine country (Edna Valley and Paso Robles nearby), and a Thursday night farmers market that takes over downtown. It's been called the happiest city in America (multiple studies, Oprah included), and the vibe really does back that up. Bubblegum Alley is exactly what it sounds like. Mellow and beautiful.

metro282k

in our guides

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$1,481

more expensive each month than Hartford

San Luis Obispo costs noticeably more than Hartford. You'd be paying for San Luis Obispo itself, not for breathing room around it.
landable, recorded on the san luis obispo entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$3,095/mo

60% more expensive than Hartford(vs $1,931/mo)

02state income tax

9.3%

$317/mo more in state tax than Hartford

vs 5.5% in Hartford

03after rent

$4,463/mo

$1,481 less than Hartford

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$934k

127% more expensive than Hartford

vs $411k in Hartford

05metro size

282k

vs 1.2M in Hartford

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

303

pleasant days a year, in san luis obispo.

Hartford keeps to 148 pleasant days a year.

Noticeably quieter than Hartford. About 66% fewer events on a typical month.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

68/100

1% higher than Hartford

vs 67/100 in Hartford

Closest outdoor draw: Montaña de Oro State Park, 6.7 mi.

·walk score®

98/100

8% higher than Hartford

vs 91/100 in Hartford

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

3

88% fewer than Hartford

vs 26 nonstops in Hartford

04 · see also

neighbors of san luis obispo on the map of tradeoffs:

see also

oxnard

$100/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

honolulu

$111/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

naples

$1,151/mo cheaper

turn the page

compare san luis obispo with:

OxnardHonoluluNaples